Starting Over
by mythic-lionheart
Summary: Faith moves on, in a sense, and moves to Smallville with the council watching her and meets someone. But will anyone help Faith? Does the move go ok? Why move to Smallville? What does Buffy think about all of it? And does she have to leave everyone behind


Title: Starting Over

Author: mythiclionheart

Rating: I guess this is a PG-13, lol, sorry.

Pairing: This is a cross over with Smallville. There isn't any strong pairing in this fic (meaning that there isn't any hugging and kissing or physical type of thing in this fic, you'll get what I mean...) This fic has Buffy/Faith implied a little, nothing much at all. There is also minor and I mean minor Faith/Lana...you just have to read to find out...

Summary: Faith moves on, in a sense, and moves to Smallville with the council watching her and meets someone. But will anyone help Faith? Does the move go ok? Why move to Smallville? What does Buffy think about all of it? And does she have to leave everyone behind? Read and find out! This fic was going to be a long one that did develop further. But I really didn't like where it was going and I am also working on an incredibly LONG fic at the moment and it needs my attention. So I figured that I would end this in an ok way and post it. I promise to do another crossover fic some other time.

Dedication: Mainly to my bud Jason for this fic. I wouldn't have kept up as long as I did with this fic if it wasn't for him. So cheers buddy!

Disclaimer: All characters from Buffy and Angel belong to Joss Whedon. I do not own the people of Buffy or Angel. You know the drill, and I do not own Smallville at all or its characters. I am just writing a little fic based on the characters.

Setting/Timeline: This takes place a few years after Faith was in jail. But if you want an approximation, I guess sometime after season 6 of Buffy. So after season 3 of Angel I guess. And I guess after a while in Smallville...I really didn't use a certain timeline for that show...but Lana is only, at the most, 1-2 years younger then Faith, I guess.

Feedback: heck yeah! LOL! Hey, I do this for you guys mostly, so I would like your input. Otherwise my writing goes to uber crap! lol. So please review if you would!

Distribution: If you really want to put my fic on your website (gasps in utter surprise, lol) then just let me know! Spoilers: Not that many at all. So I think you are ok.

Formating at the end is a little messed up, sorry! ff.net tends to hate me, lol. So the paragraphs are more spaced out, you'll see what I mean.

Faith sighs as Angel looks at her with his hands in his pockets, leaning up against the car. The driver of the car, Jason Gaver, who is also Faith's parole officer and technically watcher now, is off getting coffee...giving the two time to talk. It's late at night and Faith has what is left, in her name, in the trunk of the car. Faith, with a new outlook on life and with a new fresh set of clothes on her back, stood not too far from Angel out side of the car.  
"Thank you...for the clothes and everything," Faith mildly attempts at conversation. She knows this is a little difficult. Angel looks up at her and smiles.  
"You have Cordelia to thank for that," he says and grins. Faith has a loose fitting pair of faded flared jeans that hanged just off her hips with a white tank top and jean jacket. She has an old pair of brown Docs on and shifts her feet uncomfortably. Faith is thinner then usual and Angel only hopes that this whole thing is a good idea.  
"I just can't believe it you know? I'm out..." Faith starts looking up at him. She knew they couldn't avoid the subject. "And I am leaving, off to another state that needs me," Faith concluded. Angel looked at her.  
"Faith, I know..." Angel started and Faith smiled silencing him.  
"I can't be here Angel. I have to be away, away form the past, the memories, Buffy....I have to start over Angel. No more running. I am not running from everything...I just need a new life Angel. You know I am right," Faith explained looking at him. A sad smile spread across Angel's face.  
"I know, and you are right. I just want what's best for you," Angel stated and Faith lightly chuckled.  
"Admit it soul boy, you're going to miss me," Faith said smiling. Angel laughed. Faith looked at him again. "Thank you for talking with the council and everything...I mean...you know me, not one for the deep touchy feely crap, but I won't forget what you did and have done for me Angel," Faith merely said looking away, not really knowing what to say. Angel looked at her and smiled.  
"I understand Faith, you don't have to say anything. And remember, if you ever run into anything or have trouble or anything with the council...don't be a stranger, let me know, ok?" Angel asked. Faith sadly smiled. She wasn't used to people caring for her. She saw Jason walking towards them with the coffee. Faith turned back to Angel.  
"I will Angel," Faith stated not knowing what else to say. It seemed Angel was in the same position.  
"Oh wait, before I forget," Angel said, suddenly remembering something and reaching into his pocket to produce a package that he handed to Faith. "It really isn't much but open it on your way...we're going to miss you," Angel stated awkwardly. Faith looked at him and accepted the package.  
"Oh to hell with it," Faith said giving Angel a hug. Angel smiled and Jason, who had just got into the car, smirked. "I got to do," Faith stated as they parted. Angel smiled at her.  
"I know, give me a call ok?" Angel asked. Faith nodded.  
"Oh and Angel?" Faith hesitantly asked as she opened the car door. Angel looked at her. "Um...don't tell Buffy about me, ok? It just isn't a good idea..." Faith stated not really knowing what to say. Things were...complicated when it came to the blonde. Angel looked at her and nodded.  
"Ok Faith," he merely said. Angel agreed with Faith, telling Buffy that she was out wasn't a good idea at the moment. The blonde didn't need to know. Angel wasn't thick, he had an idea how Faith felt about her and Angel knew that Faith needed to be away and not be influenced, mainly by Buffy. Faith closed the door and sat, looking out the window at Angel as Jason started the car and began pulling away. Angel just stood and watched them as they went. Faith never took her eyes off him till they disappeared from sight.  
  
Faith sighed in her seat thinking about the past few years. Angel had been a big help to her. He never gave up on her even when everyone else did. He even got Cordelia and Wesley to come see her. It took a while but Wesley came...it was awkward but after a while they began to talk. Evidently, Angel would often talk to them about their visits and how the brunette was doing. After some pleading, Cordelia decided to tag a long one day and after a while Wesley came too. Angel also brought two other people with him after a while, Gunn and Fred. That was also a little awkward at first. Well it was mostly with Gunn, he didn't know her and only knew what he was told. So it was just weird to go see someone he didn't really know in a prison. But after the first visit, he warmed up immediately and they got along great. Fred was very friendly to her when she did meet her. But Fred was just that way, very nice, and one heck of a chatter box when she wanted to be. Faith lightly chuckled at the memory. After a while, Faith looked foreword to their visits. The first year was bad in the prison. Faith had withdrawn and became depressed...even tried hurting herself and was put into isolation. Angel never gave up. And again, he pulled through for her and helped her out of her depressed state.  
Faith tried to never think about that year in prison. She repressed it into her mind like she did a lot of things. She was mostly ashamed. And ashamed of everything before that. She had taken so much pride in her strength and refused to ever ask for help. But after a while, things got better. And when they had told her that she could be up for parole, she freaked out a little. What would she do out there? She had spoken to Angel and he got right on it, helping her out...again.  
Angel had gotten a hold of the council and spoke with them. Faith didn't know how he did it but the council agreed to take care of the rouge slayer under one condition, they choose where she goes and they take care of her.  
Now here she was. She met Jason not too long ago. The council had sent him and he seemed like a pretty decent guy. He was in his late thirties and was your average British guy. But Faith then learned how Jason was born in the states and lived here a long time before he went to over seas. He was taller then Faith by a few inches and had brown shaggy hair and grayish blue eyes. He seemed generally friendly but Faith couldn't help keeping everyone an arms length away, expressly anyone from the council. But Faith was still confused about the whole thing. Why would the council ever agree to take her back? But they did. Now they were on their way to Smallville, Kansas. Maybe even to some small hick town for all Faith knew. But Faith just wanted to do some good, no matter where it was that they went. If she was needed, she would be there with no objections.  
Faith was technically going to be the watchers play dog...and she didn't really like the idea of that but could manage. She just didn't know if she should trust the council...but they took a chance on her, so she felt that she should take a chance with them. She wanted to prove herself, that she could very well do some good. All she knew was that they had a little bit of a problem in the town that she was going to and that they really needed her there. They were going to give her her own place and get her a job. She didn't know what it was yet, Jason wouldn't tell her. Faith figured this was all for the better. Already they were offering her more then she ever had in her life, and she was very thankful for that.  
Jason looked over at Faith as they drove. The slayer seemed to be deep in thought. "You going to open that?" Jason asked trying to start conversation. Faith looked at him then down at the package in her lap. After a moment, she began to open it. The package wasn't that very big. As Faith opened the top she removed the package paper that was in there. Inside was a framed picture of the whole Angel crew, all smiling. Faith pulled it out and removed the post it note on the front.  
  
_Faith,  
  
We know you are going to be getting your own place. Maybe this will make it feel more like home. Don't forget about us.  
  
Take care,  
  
Cordelia  
  
P.S. Yea we know it is pretty corny of us to send you a picture of ourselves without you in it, but one day you'll have that picture to put in here.  
_  
Faith smiled and noticed something below it. It seemed to be a thick envelope. On the front, in Angel's hand writing, said Faith's name. Under her name said, "_Open alone_" in small letters, barely noticeable...which meant to open away from her new "watcher". Faith understood that much. Jason looked at her and she quickly shifted the envelope under the frame, hiding it.  
"What was it?" Jason asked looking at her quickly and lightly smiling. He was trying to be nice. He knew Faith had issues with trusting people. He wanted the slayer to trust him and know that he was on her side and there to help her. Faith looked at him and tilted the package box so he could see the frame.  
"My...friends," Faith said lightly smiling at the end. That was what they were now. Her friends...and basically the only people that she remotely ever let close to her. And Angel? He was like...family to her...I guess you can say. Then Buffy came to mind. She didn't mean to think about the blonde, it just happened. That happened every now and then, mostly out of the guilt she had felt over everything that happened. When ever Faith had thought about what she had done, all those she had hurt, and everything else, her thoughts came to the blonde. But she was on the road to redemption and things were better now, and she was now thinking of the blonde less and less. But Faith couldn't help think, what would Buffy think or say if she learned where Faith was? Would she see that she had changed? Could the brunette fix things between them? Would Buffy come looking to finish her off? Would Faith ever admit to Buffy how she felt? Faith frowned and shook her head a second deep in thought about it. She couldn't think these things. She wouldn't think these things. Buffy was a thing of the past. She was part of Sunnydale and part of things that were forgotten by Faith. Part of what she learned to over come. She didn't need the vision of the other blonde slayer anymore...  
"Well that is nice," Jason replied smiling. He noticed Faith deep in thought. "You ok?" he asked a little worried. The brunette looked at him and weakly smiled.  
"Five by...I'm fine, thank you," Faith said trying to show what she hoped was a reassuring smile.  
  
Smallville...  
  
Faith spent most of the car ride in silence, deep in thought. After several stops and long hours, they arrived into Smallville.  
"I guess this is home," Faith lightly joked as they drove down a street. Jason smiled.  
"I know this area isn't what you are normally used to but I'm sure you'll be fine," Jason stated as they came to a stop next to a curb. "Ready to see your new place?" he asked. Faith smiled.  
"Let's do it," Faith replied as they got out of the car. They grabbed the bags that Faith did have and took them to an apartment door. Jason took out a set of keys and unlocked it, allowing them to now enter.  
"Wow...check it out," Faith stated as she dropped her bags and walked fully in. "Must say, I am impressed!" Faith said and smiled.  
"Yeah, welcome to your new home," Jason said smiling. Faith looked around a bit. It wasn't that big but it didn't matter. The walls were dark green with white bordering and there was a little kitchen area with a counter and stove with a dishwasher along with a refrigerator and microwave. There were little bar stools were the counter extended to eat on. There was a small living room with a couch along the wall and arm chair. A pretty wicked TV was opposite the couch inside an empty wooden entertainment center.  
Down a hall way to the right, not far from the door, was a small bathroom with a shower and sink, it too was all done in green. Not too far from that was the bedroom. It held a queen sized bed that was all made with a down comforter, all dark green, with a few lamps. At the end of the hallway before the bedroom on the left was a washer and dryer behind some white wooden pull open doors.  
"It may not seem like much now, but of course you can get what you want to go with it and to make it how you want it," Jason stated as he watched the slayer go from room to room.  
"Are you kidding? This is great!" Faith stated a bit excited. Jason smiled.  
"There is a little bit of food in the fridge, but not much. You will have to go out and get what you need. The council will be paying for the apartment and..." Jason was saying as he reached into his pocket, taking out a cell phone, "for this," he said handing the phone to Faith. Faith looked at him dumbfounded for a moment and Jason chuckled.  
"This is so I can keep in contact with you. The council doesn't want to have your number listed anywhere so there won't be a phone for the apartment...also...since they are paying the bill for the phone...they see who you talk to..." Jason said hesitantly looking at the slayer. Faith frowned.  
"I see," she replied as she set the cell phone on the counter for a moment.  
"I'm sorry...I don't have a say in it..." he was starting to say. Faith held up her hand cutting him off.  
"No I got it. And let me guess, can't talk to Angel can I?" Faith asked looking at him. Jason smiled a little.  
"On THAT phone? No...but who said that there weren't other ways?" he said grinning as he looked away for a moment to walk back towards the door. Faith smiled, Jason wasn't as bad as she thought.  
"Ok, I have to get going. I will check in with you tomorrow and give you a chance to settle in and check out the town. In the top drawer in the bedroom, is all the stuff you need for the cell phone. Maybe the council would rather I spend every moment with you...but I disagree. I believe in you and fully believe that you will do just fine in this town," Jason said smiling. Faith smiled.  
"Alright. Well I am going to go and will be by at noon tomorrow. I will tell you what your job is then and we can discuss everything else. Just relax and get settled in for now, cool?" Jason asked as he took out his car key and tossed the apartment key to Faith.  
"Kosher," replied Faith after catching the key and smiling. Jason nodded and headed out the door. "Oh and Jas?" Faith asked causing him to stop. "Thank you for everything and for what you said. It means a lot. It's nice to know someone is on my side," Faith lightly said looking away. Jason looked at her for a moment.  
"No problem Faith. Again, I think you will do well here," Jason said as he smiled before turning around and walking out the door, shutting it behind him. Faith just stood there for a moment and smiled, taking it all in.Jason smiled as he walked out to his car. He felt that this was good, the whole situation with the slayer. He knew that having her in Smallville would be a good thing. Jason smiled at that thought as he got into his car and closed the door. Faith sighed as she sat on the couch, with Angel's letter in her hand. The souled vampire had guessed that she wouldn't be able to call him on whatever phone they gave her and so instructed her that if she ever really did need anything that she could call from a different source and gave her the long number to do so. 

Angel had also given her the address to the hotel they stayed in so that they could keep up to date with each other. He also needed the address so he could tell the bank, in which the money the Mayor had left her was, where to foreword statements. Faith leaned back into the couch and looked around the room for like the tenth time under 5 minutes, a smile playing across her lips. The mayor had left her everything in his name and Angel had taken care of all of it for her. He had given her the checkbook and debt card to the account so that she could use it when she reached her destination. The brunette couldn't believe the mayor had done that...left her everything. She had more then enough and the council knew it. Still the council provided a little bit for her, leaving the rest to be picked up by her. It was as though they were trying to make up for what happened in the past...as though they were making up for past mistakes.

Faith shook her head at the thought. Faith got up from the couch with the package in hand, that Angel had given her, and walked into the bedroom. The brunette took out the silver framed picture and set it on her night stand next to the lamp. On the bottom under the picture, engraved, said _'Angel Investigations'_ and underneath that in small italic letters it said '_We have FAITH in you_.' The slayer smiled at the picture for a moment before opening the top drawer of the stand and placing Angel's letter in it and taking out the documents and accessories of her new cell phone. She briefly looked over them then set them down on top of the drawer before sitting on the bed, sighing.

Everything was just so overwhelming...but it was all new, all a fresh start, something that she had wanted for a long time now. She could now be the person that she wanted to be...by starting over. A smile played across the brunette's face as she got up and walked into the front room where she had set her belongings. There was something that she needed to do. She searched through one of her bags, and after finding what she was looking for, walked into the bathroom. Faith took the photo she was holding and held it out in front of her, sighing.

"I'm not going to hold on to you anymore. I don't need you. I'm strong on my own and can follow my own path now. I can't keep beating myself up over everything that has happened," the brunette stated, just above a whisper. The photo she held was worn and tattered, as though it had been carried in the back pocket of someone's jeans for years.

"I don't need your acceptance...I now have my own, and that is enough," the brunette slayer said as the picture of Buffy Summers still smiled back at her. It was a photo that Faith had known all too well. She knew that what she was about to do wouldn't really solve or change anything, but the act held sentimental value. She had carried the picture for much too long. She had taken it a long time ago from the Summer's residents when she was thinking about bailing long before everything happened in Sunnydale...the brunette wanted...no...needed to hold on to something at that point in time. Something that made life worth living for... It was complicated, again, things were complicated when it came to the blonde...but that was a different story. Faith made the decisions she made. And maybe she should have left when she was thinking about it at that time, long ago, but it was too late now to dwell on past times, past decisions. That wasn't what Faith was about now. She was different now, and she didn't need things that reminded her of who she used to be...

Pulling out her old zeppo that her father had used many years ago before he died, Faith struck it and lit the photo on fire, the flames lapping across the picture. When the flames reached her fingertips, Faith let it go, the photo distorting and turning to ash as it fell to the toilet that was in front of her. The brunette clicked the zeppo closed and placed it back in her back pocket. She didn't smoke anymore, she gave that up long ago, but the zeppo was important to her. It was the only thing that she had of her mother and father. The lighter was like the burning photograph in a way. Both held sentimental value. But that too, was another long story. Faith sighed as the remains of the photograph sank into the water.

"Talk about flushing your dreams down the toilet," the brunette joked in a whisper, lightly smiling as the photo went down the drain. The slayer sighed again and walked back into the front room, finished with what she had to do.

"Well," Faith started as she turned off a few lights. "Better check out the area I am going to be living in and see about some supplies," the slayer announced to no one in particular as she opened the door and stepped outside. The weather was pretty nice. Not too warm, not to cool, just the way she liked it. The brunette shook her head at her own thoughts as she closed and locked the door. Since when did she start paying attention to the weather? Then suddenly, the slayer turned and walked right into someone, sending them as well as herself, straight to the ground.

"I am sorry, I totally didn't see.....you...." Faith barley finished as she had looked up at who she had knocked over. A few brown bags were scattered among the ground around the girl as she reached towards one, not having looked up at who she had run into. Faith was temporary struck. The girl in front of her was rather beautiful. The brunette couldn't help but notice how soft her hair looked as it spilled about her face as she leaned toward a bag. Mentally shaking herself, Faith spoke again.

"Here, let me help you," she offered as she reached for a near by bag.

Lana, for her part, was embarrassed. She wasn't paying any attention what so ever and now she had made a total ditz of herself in front of someone. Someone who she didn't even have the guts to look at yet.

"Oh, it's ok, you don't have to. I mean it was my fault. I guess I need to remove my head from the clouds then walk..." Lana said as she looked up at the person she had knocked over.

To say she was surprised at what she saw would be an understatement. She thought she had knocked over some random guy or something. Not the beauty in front of her that had softly chucked at what she had just said. That was when Lana noticed the muscles ripple along the other girl's back as she put one of her bags off to the side after putting its contents back in it. The younger girl then realized where her eyes were traveling and blushed, looking away at the bag next to her.

"Well, that makes two of us then," Faith said as she finished helping organize the bags. She looked over at the other girl to find her standing up, softly smiling at her with flushed cheeks. She was defiantly a cutie.

"Right...you new in town?" Lana asked as she got up. She couldn't stop looking at the gorgeous brunette in front of her. There was something about her that Lana just...felt...drawn to. One of them was defiantly her eyes. They seemed to hold so much in them that she almost couldn't look away. That and the cute dimples that now showed as she smiled at her, made her chest tighten a little and Lana looked away again blushing.  
"Yeah...thought I would check out the area...are you blushing?" Faith asked, not really thinking about what she was saying. She felt...a little distracted.  
"Wh-what? Uh, no. No I am not..." Lana answered blushing even more. Faith softly laughed, causing Lana to look at her.  
Lana liked how she laughed, and how it made her dimples show even more. It was cute. She then shook her head, realizing that the other girl was teasing her, and smiled.  
"Well, my name is Lana, and I guess I would like to welcome you to Smallville," she said as she stuck out her hand towards the other girl. Faith smiled at her and tried to give her what she hoped was one of her best smiles.  
"Faith. Nice to meet you, and I hope I get to bump into you more often," Faith said as she grinned at the other girl after shaking her hand, causing her to blush again. "Got to tell you, the whole blushing thing is rather cute," Faith teased, warming up to the other girl already, it was almost odd how at ease she felt with girl that she had only just met. The brunette felt that maybe, being in Smallville was going to be even better then she thought...

THE END... Oh I know, you want to shoot me now, lol, well sorry! I know this isn't that great, my bad. But I really needed to end it and shoot it out there to you guys. I have been very busy and will so another Smallville like fic some other time. Reviews are nice! Lol, thanks for reading!


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